Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’, characterized by its compact and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; light and bright yellow green bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSURF EJIUSA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact, freely branching andfreely flowering Petunia plants with uniformly mounding habit andattractive flower coloration.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in July, 2008 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Px2982-01, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number Px3015-03, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environmentin Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in November, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceNovember, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Petuniaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’ as a new and distinctPetunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact and uniformly mounding plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Light and bright yellow green bi-colored flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of thefemale parent selection in flower size as plants of the female parentselection have larger flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of themale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are broader than plants of the male        parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as        trailing as plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia‘Sunsurf Kuritora’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,969. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurf Kuritora’ differed primarily in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were taller than plants of ‘Sunsurf        Kuritora’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had lighter green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘Sunsurf Kuritora’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of        ‘Sunsurf Kuritora’.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurf Kuritora’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Sunsurf Kuritora’ had pale        yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late spring in 15-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and undercultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were two months old when thephotographs were taken and five months old when the description wastaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurf Ejiusa’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Px2982-01, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Px3015-03, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at            temperatures of about 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at temperatures of about 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and uniformly mounding            plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral            branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral            branch development; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 29.3 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 54.6 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 36.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3.4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; viscid.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire; slightly undulate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 144A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation,            close to 144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single funnelform flowers            arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            usually about 85 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to            four weeks after planting; long flowering period; flowering            commences naturally during the spring and plants flower            continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in            Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 4.1 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Tube diameter, base.—About 3.1 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.            Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 145B; towards the apex,            close to 145A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.6 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Mucronate. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent.            Color: Petal, when opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 149D; towards the margins, close to 149A; venation,            close to 149A. Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 149D; towards the margins, close to 149A;            venation, close to 149A. Throat: Close to 149D; venation,            close to 149A. Tube: Close to 149D; venation, close to 149A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal            length: About 1.4 cm. Sepal width: About 2.9 mm. Sepal            shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin:            Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.            Color: Developing and fully developed sepals, upper surface:            Close to 144A. Developing and fully developed sepals, lower            surface: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close            to 143C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Stamen length: About 1.8 cm to 2 cm. Anther shape:            Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2.2 mm by 2.9 mm. Anther            color: Close to 2D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:            Close to 2D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 2.1 cm. Style color: Close to 145C. Stigma            shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to            145B. Ovary color: Close to 143C. Seeds and fruits: Seed and            fruit development have not been observed on plants of the            new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘SunsurfEjiusa’ as illustrated and described.